U.S. patent number 4,865,110 [Application Number 07/142,500] was granted by the patent office on 1989-09-12 for horizontal cantilevering barrier.
Invention is credited to Morton Seal.
United States Patent |
4,865,110 |
Seal |
September 12, 1989 |
Horizontal cantilevering barrier
Abstract
As the land becomes more populated due to the land being
subdivided into smaller tracts the need for barriers to indicate
the boundaries of the individual property holdings increases. In
many instances it is no longer necessary to provide a fence tight
closure as was previously considered necessary to confine small
animals such as chickens, pigs etc. As the cost of erecting and
maintaining fence tight types of gates has increased during recent
years many people have realized that all that is required is a
barrier to indicate the extent of individual property holdings. I
have devised a versitile type of barrier that can be manufactured
economically, and can be maintained in service at low costs. All
that is required is an elongated cylinder and piston rod
combination, and an accordian type expandable barrier having one
end operably connected adjacent the cylinder and the other end
operably connected to the piston rod to move out to obstruct the
accessway as the piston rod moves out in the cylinder and to
retract and be bunched on the piston rod as the piston rod is
retracted in the cylinder. I have devised a water pressure operated
control for the gate. The valves controlling the flow of
pressurized water to actuate the gate are controlled electrically.
When no electric power is applied, the valves direct water under
pressure to urge the piston rod outwardly in the cylinder to
maintain the gate in the obstructing or closed position. When
electric power is applied to reverse the position of the valves the
piston rod moves inwardly in the cylinder whereupon the gate
structure becomes nested on the piston rod. When the electric power
is again shut off the water pressure moves the piston rod outwardly
in the cylinder to position the barrier in the obstructing
position.
Inventors: |
Seal; Morton (Fort Myers,
FL) |
Family
ID: |
22500082 |
Appl.
No.: |
07/142,500 |
Filed: |
January 11, 1988 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
160/332; 160/331;
160/125 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A01K
3/00 (20130101); E04H 17/00 (20130101); E06B
11/021 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A01K
3/00 (20060101); E06B 11/02 (20060101); E06B
11/00 (20060101); E04H 17/00 (20060101); A47H
001/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;160/331,332,333,334,110,112,125 ;49/360,324,124 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Johnson; Blair M.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Wilson; Alfred E.
Claims
I claim:
1. A closure barrier comprising an elongated cylinder, stationary
spaced apart cylinder supports, a piston rod having a free end and
being slidably mounted in the cylinder and extendable from an outer
end thereof, an accordian type expandable barrier having one end
which is secured adjacent the outer end of the cylinder and another
end secured to the free end of the piston rod and being so
constructed and arranged that in the barrier open position the
expandable barrier is bunched at the free end of the piston rod and
in the barrier closed position the expandable barrier is laterally
spaced along the length of the piston rod.
2. A closure barrier comprising two laterally spaced elongated
cylinders each having stationary spaced supports, piston rods
slidably mounted in the cylinders and each having a free end which
extends from an outer end of a respective cylinder, an accordian
type expandable barrier having one end which is secured adjacent
the outer end of each of the cylinders and another end of each
barrier secured to the free end of its associated piston rod and
being so constructed and arranged that in the barrier open position
the expandable barriers are bunched at the free ends of the piston
rods and in the barrier closed position the expandable barriers are
laterally spaced along the length of their associated piston
rod.
3. A closure barrier comprising two fixed elongated horizontally
disposed cylinders, a piston rod slidably mounted in each cylinder
and movable between a retracted position in the cylinder and an
extended position, a collapsible ladder type barrier structure, a
portion of which being mounted on each of said piston rods and
being movable between a barrier closed position when the piston
rods are in an extended position relative to the cylinder,. and a
barrier open position when the piston rods are in a retracted
position relative to their cylinders.
4. The invention defined in claim 3 wherein the piston rods are
moved from a retracted position in their cylinders by fluid
pressure exerted between the cylinders and the piston rods at the
ends of the cylinders at which the piston rods are in the retracted
position relative to the cylinders to position the barrier in an
obstructing position.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
As the land is subdivided into smaller and smaller tracts the need
for fence tight gates is reduced, and in order for the occupants to
enjoy a degree of privacy it is generally only necessary to
maintain a barrier to indicate the boundaries of the properties. As
a result massive small animal tight gates are unnecessary.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
In the development of my improved barrier it was realized that, to
be successful economically, it should embody a construction that is
economical to make and install and is easy to operate and to
maintain, and can readily be used by all parties having need
therefor, including children. A lightweight barrier is adequate
since it is unnecessary to have a heavy small animal restraining
device because the forces exerted thereon are not severe. It was
reailized that the most successful barrier is one that is
relatively lightweight, easy to operate and which can be
manufactured economically and which when closed presents a
sufficient apparent barrier to discourage intruders.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In the development of my improved horizontally disposed
cantilevering type barrier, it is only necessary to provide a
relatively long cylinder in which a somewhat longer piston rod is
slidably mounted. The piston rod is slidably mounted in the
cylinder and projects out of the front end of the cylinder. The
piston rod has a plurality of looped vertically extending barrier
structures slidably mounted on the piston rod. The inner or left
hand end of the vertically extending barrier structure is secured
at vertically spaced points to the post supporting the outer end of
the cylinder. The outermost vertically extending barrier is secured
to the outer end of the piston rod, to be carried outwardly as the
piston rod is slid outwardly in the cylinder, and the vertically
extending barrier structure is moved outwardly as the piston rod
moves in the cylinder. When the piston rod is projected outwardly
to its full extent the vertically extending barrier structure is
spaced across the accessway to indicate that the accessway is
closed. When the piston rod approaches the end of its travel the
sharpened end projects into the aperture to stabilize the unit.
The barrier structure is illustrated as being operated by water
pressure exerted between the cylinder and the piston to maintain
the piston rod in the fully extended position to close the
accessway when the water pressure is operable to project the piston
rod outwardly in the cylinder. To open the barrier the cylinder is
vented, and water pressure is exerted between the right hand end of
the cylinder and the piston rod to retract the piston rod in the
cylinder. The vertically extending members of the barrier then
slide on the piston rod as the accessway is opened.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the barrier structure adapted
to project the piston rod outwardly in the cylinder to close the
accessway, and being illustrated in the gate closed position.
FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1, but showing the gate
construction in the gate open position wherein the vertical barrier
members are nested so as to be cluttered at the end of the piston
rod, at which time the piston is in the fully retracted position in
the cylinder.
FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of a double acting barrier
structure wherein barrier structures operate in opposite directions
to close a wider accessway.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, a cylinder 10 is mounted on
suitable supports or posts 12 and 14 secured in the ground on
suitable footers 16 and 18 to insure a solid support for the
cylinder 10.
The elongated piston rod 20 is slidably mounted in the cylinder 10
and is guided therein by a ferrole 24 at the outer or right hand
end of the cylinder 10.
The piston rod 20 is of sufficient length to extend completely
across the accessway 26 to be controlled by the barrier 28. The
barrier 28 is of the accordian type having vertically extending
wire or rod members 30 having looped portions 32 loosely
surrounding the piston rod 20. The vertically extending wire
members 30 are connected by horizontal connectors 34 having their
inner ends connected to the support or post 14 as illustrated at
36, and having tied connectors with the vertically extending wire
members 30 to position the vertically extending members in
substantially equal spacings as illustrated in FIG. 1.
Thus when the barrier 28 is in the fully extended position as
illustrated in FIG. 1, the vertically extending wires 30 are
substantially equally spaced as illustrated, and the outer end of
the piston rod 20 is provided with a sharpened point 40 to project
into an aperture 42 in a plate 44 carried by a post or support
46.
This type of barrier has been loosely referred to as a ladder type,
the outer end of which travels with the piston rod 20 so as to
indicate that the accessway 26 to the entrance is closed when the
barrier 28 is in the closed position by the movement of the piston
rod 20 to the fully extended position as shown in FIG. 1.
In the event that a barrier or gate structure is wider than can
conveniently be accomodated by a single piston rod 20, it is
possible to have gate or barrier structures operating from opposite
sides of the accessway 26. In this construction one of the barrier
piston rods 20 is provided with the sharpened point 40 to project
into the aperture 42 in the plate 44 carried by the other movable
barrier structure so that when both of the barrier members are
moved towards each other the upper edge of the barrier will be
stabilized and maintained in the closed position.
This type of gate structure is very economical to construct, and it
is very good from a maintenance point of view because there is very
little that can go wrong with it, and it can be readily patched in
the event that tears or breaks occur in the vertically extending
members 30 or the transversely extending members 34 which provide
the collapsable closure to indicate that the accessway 26 is closed
when the piston rods 20 are extended to the full outward
position.
When the piston rods 20 are retracted in the cylinders 10 the gate
structure moves to the collapsed or contracted position illustrated
in FIG. 2 wherein the vertical members or wires 30 looped over the
piston rods 20 and held thereon by the loops 32 are slidably
mounted on the piston rod 20 to the contracted or open position of
the barrier 28.
While many types of gate actuators are available and are operable
to actuate the laterally movable piston rods 20 of the barrier 28 I
have devised a water pressure and electrically controlled gate
actuator. When water is under sufficient pressure, considering the
diameters of the cylinder 10 and the piston 22 to exert a force
sufficient to move the piston rods 20 outwardly in the cylinders 10
the barriers 28 will be moved to the obstructing position. The
water inlet pipe 50 directs pressurized water to the left hand end
of the cylinder 10. To move the barrier 28 to the nonobstructing
position, pressurized water is directed by a pipe to the right hand
end of the cylinder 10 and is exerted in the chamber between the
cylinder 10 and the piston 22.
In my copending application Ser. No. 142499, filed concurrently
herewith, I have illustrated and described a barrier actuator that
is operated by water pressure, and is controlled electrically. I
selected this type of actuator because pressurized water is
available to water lawns and to irrigate growing plants. As a
result it is generally true that pressurized water can be available
merely by extending a water hose to the gate area.
In both constructions the gate or barrier can be moved in opposite
directions to open or close a gate or barrier structure by merely
reversing the flow of pressurized water at opposite ends of a
cylinder having a piston rod slidably mounted therein and actuated
water under pressure.
When the device is at rest and no electric current is supplied to
the control valves, pressurized water is transmitted by the pipe 50
to the left hand end of the cylinder 10 and the barrier 28 is moved
outwardly to the obstructing position.
When it is desired to move the barrier 28 to the open position the
electrically actuated control valves are shifted to close the
chamber between the left end of the cylinder 10 and the piston 22
and to open the chamber between the right hand end of the cylinder
10 and the piston rod 20 to withdraw the piston rod 20 into the
cylinder 10 thereby removing the barrier 28 from the accessway
26.
* * * * *